Finding My Way In Texas: Guest Post: Adrienne from Happy Hour Projects

Well today is a big day at Finding My Way In Texas (and no, it's not because I'm guest blogging here today, LOL). Jennifer is getting married! Woohoo, congratulations!

Anyway, the beautiful bride will obviously be busy smooching her new hubby today, so I am holding down the fort. That's right - that silly girl left me in charge. But I promise, I will be on my best behavior. ;)

I'm Adrianne, and I blog over at Happy Hour Projects. The things I like to do there are projects that you can either make in an hour or less, or easily break down into one-hour segments to work on over a few nights or nap times. Like a lot of you - when I became a mom, I suddenly didn't have nearly the time (or the budget, for that matter) to nurture my creative side as I used to. Thus, my personal "happy hour" came to be, and I love sharing what I've been working on. Now, I'm not complaining, because the trade-off is spending time with my baby girl instead! (Oh yes, I take every opportunity to show off this little cutie.) This is the two of us last weekend, the first time I took her out to play in the snow:

She didn't like it much, but I can't say that I really blame her. Perhaps she'd be smiling if we were really in Texas, and not just visiting virtually this morning... I know my husband would leave all the snow and never look back! We couldn't convince him to do anything more than bundle up and take a few photos of us. :)

All right, okay - enough about me. Let's get to work on something quick, cute, and easy. It's a love-themed project in honor of Jennifer this morning, which makes it timely for Valentine's Day as well!

Glass Tile Magnets

Working with tiles is really popular right now - I've seen them turned into some gorgeous creations! But if you don't have an old Scrabble game to re-appropriate tiles from (or you're like me and still play your Scrabble game), there are still other mediums you can use.

I haven't found the clear glass tiles anywhere in stores that some people are using, but I have found it's really not necessary that they are clear - you can use other colors, too! Hobby Lobby has a great selection of mosaic tiles - and bonus - this week, they are 30% off. Pair that with this week's 40% off coupon, and supplies for this project are even more reasonable.

So here's what you need:

Tiles
Magnets (I had heavy-duty rounds on-hand from another project, but the tiles aren't very heavy. You could get away with smaller magnets than this.)
E6000 or similar permanent adhesive
Graphics for your tiles - stickers, photos, or printouts
Dimensional Glaze, like Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (optional, not pictured here. I use Annie Howe's Glamour Glaze, but you could also use Mod Podge, or skip the finish altogether depending on what you use for your graphics.)

I opted to get the white tiles, and they don't show up so well white-on-white (sorry, but I'm a messy crafter - I need my paper towel, LOL). But this is the package you're looking for if you're a Hobby Lobby shopper. It's a package of 48, which might seem excessive, but just wait until you discover how addictive this projects is... you'll be glad you have a lot!

I also picked up these fun Valentine stickers at my dollar store, but you could print out customized graphics on your computer, or use photos for a personal touch, too!

I needed to trim my stickers down a little - you will want your graphic to be slightly smaller than the tile, because it has rounded edges. Be sure to curve the corners slightly, also. If you are using a paper or photo graphic, you'll want to put a coat of Mod Podge or a light coat of glue on your tile.

Since I am using a sticker, I just stuck it on.

This really feels like cheating, it's so easy.

Now, add some E6000 to your magnets:

And stick them on the backs of your tiles.

Keep your magnets a good distance away from each other, otherwise, they will try to cling! If you happen to be away when this happens, your magnets could adhere in a very unintended way. :P

Give it a few minutes to set, then turn them over to work on the front side.

Now finishing the front is really up to your tastes. In fact, these stickers don't necessarily need additional finishing because they are plastic - I just like the way the glaze looks. It gives the whole thing a nice shine, and domes it slightly. and I already have it on-hand, so it's no added cost. (You won't find Glamour Glaze in-store - if you're shopping, look for Mod Podge Dimensional Magic in the same aisle as your tiles. It's also a water-based dimensional glaze and will work the same.)

If you do decide to glaze, add a little to the center, and use a toothpick to draw it out to the edges of your tile.

It will look a little cloudy at first, but it will dry clear.

Now leave them alone and do not touch them for a few hours while they dry and cure. :) (You don't want to disturb half-dried glaze, because you won't be able to smooth it back out... don't ask me how I know!) But that's it!

Once they're dry, they're ready to hold those important notes to your frig (or your kids' locker, etc.):